Should you visit Dali or Chongqing?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dali and Chongqing can help you decide which place is right for you.
Dali
Dali is a city in southern China with a long and glorious history dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The Xiaguan neighborhood of the city is the modern industrial center where most public transportation arrives; however, the Old Town of Dali is the place that draws the most visitors. Being one of China's ancient cities, Dali is said to have been a gateway to the Silk Road, and still attracts attention with its traditional architecture, beautiful scenery, ethnic cultures, and nightlife.
Chongqing
Chongqing, China is a large city in central China and one of only four cities in the country that are not part of a province. While Chongqing is famous for being an economically important city, brush away its industrial surface and you'll find a naturally beautiful city with plenty of hidden wonders. Although you'll find many expats in the city, English is rarely spoken, meaning knowing some basic Mandarin will come in handy.
Which city is cheaper, Chongqing or Dali?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Dali is $44, while the average daily cost in Chongqing is $78. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Dali and Chongqing in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $30 in Dali For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $90 for a double occupancy room in Chongqing.
Food
The average traveler spends about $16 per day in Dali for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
In Chongqing travelers spend around $22 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Dali $16
Chongqing $22
Typical Food prices in Dali
For Dali, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch
$5.03
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Breakfast
$3.93
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dali
For Dali, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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1-Day Dali Baba Cooking and Cruise Tour:
$150
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Chongqing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Chongqing.
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Chongqing Liangjiang Night Cruise Including Authentic Hot Pot Dinner:
$86
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Chongqing City private night tour with Hot Pot dinner:
$148
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Chongqing Port Transfer Service with Half-Day Tour and Hot Pot Dinner:
$193
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From Port Transfer with Half Day Tour and Hot Pot Dinner:
$197
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250 USD Per Group Private Chongqing Night Tour with Hot-pot Dinner:
$213
Local Transportation
Dali's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $8.37 per person, per day on transportation in Dali.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $17 per day to get around in Chongqing.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Dali
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dali:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dali
Also for Dali, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Dali Airport Chauffeur Service,Dali Airport Transfer:
$40
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Private One Way Transfer to Lijiang from Dali:
$96
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Private Round-Trip Transfer Service to Shaxi Ancient Town from Dali:
$88
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Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel:
$140
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Private Transfer from Dali to Lijiang/Shuhe hotel and Stops at Shaxi Old Town:
$150
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chongqing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Chongqing:
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Three Gorges Cruises with Transfer in Chongqing and Yichang:
$466
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Private airport transfer to or from Chongqing International Airport max 5:
$18
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Private airport transfer to or from Chongqing International Airport max 5:
$14
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Private Transfer: Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG) to Chaotianmen Cruise Pier:
$43
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Private Transfer: Chongqing Chaotianmen Cruise Pier to Airport (CKG):
$43
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Private Transfer from Chongqing hotel to Chongqing Train Station:
$25
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Private Transfer from Chongqing Railway Station to City Hotel:
$40
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Private Round-Trip Transfer: Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport(CKG):
$44
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Private One Way Transfer (English Service) between Airport & Hotel & Cruise Port:
$57
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Private Departure Transfer:Hotel to Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport CKG:
$22
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Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG):
$22
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Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Chongqing Chaotianmen Cruise Pier:
$39
Is it cheaper to fly into Dali or Chongqing?
Prices for flights to both Chongqing and Dali change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Dali can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $16 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $12 per person, per day in Chongqing. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Tours and Activities in Dali
For Dali, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Half-Day Shangri-La Thangka Tour:
$88
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1-Day Erhai Sightseeing in Dali:
$129
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One day tour to Rehai Hot Sea and Heshun Old Town in Tengchong:
$149
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1-Day Dali Mountain and Cuisine Tour:
$150
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1-Day Electric Bike Tour in Dali:
$160
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1-Day Tie Dye Experience Tour in Dali:
$160
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Private Tour: Explore the Ancient City of Dali:
$171
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Private Day Tour of Dali Explore the Ancient City:
$171
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Private hiking and trekking tour to Cangshan Mountain from Dali:
$175
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Private tour to Xizhou old town local market Erhai lake three Pagodas from Dali:
$184
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Dali Private Tour to Xizhou Ancient Town and Erhai Lake:
$186
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1-Day Dali tour with the Daili old town, Xizhou Village and Three Pagodas:
$195
Tours and Activities in Chongqing
Here are a few actual costs in Chongqing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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1 Day Private Tour of Chongqing Highlights Including lunch and Optional Photo in Sichuan Opera Costume:
$114
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1 Day Private Tour of Most Beautiful Heishan Valley in Chongqing Including Lunch:
$166
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1 Day Private Tour of Wulong Stone Bridges and Canyon in Chongqing Including Lunch:
$195
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1-Day Chongqing City Private Tour with the Hot pot Lunch:
$150
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1-Day Chongqing Dazu Rock Carvings Private Tour With the Lunch:
$230
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1-Day Private Tour: Wulong Tiankeng Three Bridges and Fairy Mountain:
$366
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199 USD Per Group Private Chongqing City Hiking Tour:
$199
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2-Day Private Customized Harbin Tour from Chongqing by Air:
$958
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2-Day Private Lijiang Highlights Tour from Chongqing by Plane:
$798
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2-Day Private Tour from Chongqing with Hotel:Shaolin Temple and Longmen Grottoes:
$798
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2-Days Chongqing City Highlights Sightseeing Private Tour:
$398
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2-Days Private Tour of Chengdu City Highlights from Chongqing by Bullet Train:
$428
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Dali spend on average $10 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Chongqing may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $6.28 per day on alcoholic beverages.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dali and Chongqing, we can see that Chongqing is more expensive. And not only is Dali much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Dali would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Dali and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Chongqing would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Chongqing than you might in Dali.
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